Vortex flowmeter with temperature compensation

Abstract

A vortex flowmeter has a vortex sensor and terminals that receive a thermal junction output from a thermowell assembly that is remote from the vortex flowmeter. The vortex flowmeter has a data input that receives data representing a thermal property of the thermowell assembly. The vortex flowmeter has a circuit that receives the first thermal junction output and the vortex sensor output, and that provides a flowmeter output that is compensated for temperature and for the thermal property.

1. A vortex flowmeter, comprising:
 a vortex sensor that senses a flow and that provides a vortex sensor output; 
 first terminals for receiving a first thermal junction output from a first thermowell assembly that is remote from the vortex flowmeter; 
 a data input for receiving data from an external location representing a calculation algorithm information related to a thermal property of the thermowell assembly; 
 a memory configured to store the calculation algorithm; and 
 a circuit that receives the data, the first thermal junction output and the vortex sensor output, the circuit providing a flowmeter output that is compensated for temperature by the calculation algorithm stored in the memory. 
 
   
   
     2. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 1  wherein the thermal property comprises a thermocouple type. 
   
   
     3. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 1  wherein the flowmeter output comprises a mass flow output. 
   
   
     4. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 1  wherein the flowmeter output comprises a heat flow measurement output. 
   
   
     5. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 4  wherein the heat flow measurement output comprises an accounting of an energy exchange process. 
   
   
     6. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 1  wherein the circuit is further configured to receive a second thermal junction output from a second thermowell assembly that is remote from the vortex flowmeter. 
   
   
     7. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 6  wherein the flowmeter output comprises a heat flow measurement output. 
   
   
     8. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 6  wherein the circuit calculates a difference between temperatures of the first and second thermowell assemblies. 
   
   
     9. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a data input coupled to the circuit for receiving data representing a pressure of the fluid. 
 
   
   
     10. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a data input coupled to the circuit for receiving a calculation algorithm information related to a thermal property of the thermowell assembly. 
 
   
   
     11. The vortex flowmeter of  claim 1  wherein the circuit comprises an ambient temperature sensor. 
   
   
     12. A method performing a vortex flow measurement, comprising:
 sensing vortices in a flow and providing a vortex sensor output; 
 positioning a first thermowell assembly in a location that is remote from a vortex flowmeter; 
 receiving data from an external location representing calculation algorithm; 
 storing the calculation algorithm in a memory; 
 receiving a first thermal junction output from the first thermowell assembly; and 
 providing a flowmeter output based on the vortex sensor output, the flowmeter output being compensated with the calculation algorithm stored in the memory and for the first thermal junction output. 
 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 12  including providing a mass flow output as the flowmeter output. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 12  including providing a heat flow measurement output as the flowmeter output. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 14  including providing the heat flow measurement output as an accounting of an energy exchange process. 
   
   
     16. A flow measurement installation, comprising:
 a first thermowell assembly that is mounted to a pipeline; 
 a vortex flowmeter that is mounted to the pipeline remote from the first thermowell assembly, the vortex flowmeter comprising:
 a vortex sensor that senses a flow and that provides a vortex sensor output; 
 a data input for receiving data from an external location representing a thermal property of the thermowell assembly; 
 a memory configured to store the information related to calculation algorithm; 
 first terminals for receiving a first thermal junction output from the first thermowell assembly; and 
 a circuit that receives the data, the first thermal junction output and the vortex sensor output, the circuit providing a flowmeter output that is compensated for temperature by the calculation algorithm stored in the memory. 
 
 
   
   
     17. The flow measurement installation of  claim 16  wherein the flowmeter output comprises a mass flow output. 
   
   
     18. The flow measurement installation of  claim 16  wherein the flowmeter output comprises a heat flow measurement output. 
   
   
     19. The flow measurement installation of  claim 18  wherein the heat flow measurement output comprises an accounting of an energy exchange process. 
   
   
     20. The flow measurement insulation of  claim 16  wherein the calculation algorithm comprises a thermal couple type. 
   
   
     21. The method of  claim 12  wherein calculation algorithm comprises a thermal couple type.